Petite Nation Challenge Rally 2025: a unique event

A show in three acts

Under the honorary presidency of Denis Tassé, mayor of Montpellier, the official start will be given on Friday, September 5, at 4 p.m. On this first evening, spectators will be invited to the Réserve faunique Papineau-Labelle, at the Mulet station, to watch three car runs on the Baie de l’Ours road between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.

On Saturday, September 6, the competition will start early in Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk and Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, before reaching the heart of the village of Montpellier. The municipal center will then become a special meeting place for fans and crews, with two spectacular speed trials crossing the village.

The action will then move to Saint-Sixte, with no fewer than eight special stages in the afternoon, in addition to the service area where the cars will be pampered under the watchful eyes of spectators. The day will culminate in Ripon, with the podium ceremony and closing banquet starting at 7 p.m.

High-level crews

This year, 27 teams will be at the starting line, ready to battle it out over 200 km of roads divided into 19 classification stages. The competition promises to be intense between two-time Canadian champion Jean-Sébastien Besner (Ford Fiesta R5) and Mexican Ricardo Cordero (Citroën C3 R5). Other favorites, such as Simon Vincent, Sébastien Clark, Yohan Tessier, and Trevor Pougnet (winner of the Black Bear), are also expected to be at the top of their game.

In the two-wheel drive category, the arrival of the speedy Peugeot 208 Rally4 cars is attracting attention. Drivers such as Mikael Arsenault, Nicolas Laverdière, and young Vincent Lalande are hoping to shine, following Peugeot's podium sweep at Baie-des-Chaleurs.

A region tailor-made for rallying

Rallying has been part of Petite Nation history for nearly a century. As early as the 1960s, the Vancouver Shell Rally crossed through the region. The first closed-road speed trials appeared in the 1990s, paving the way for the creation of the Rallye Défi. Even today, international teams recognize the beauty and difficulty of local roads.

A mobilized community

The organization relies on the generosity of volunteers and the cooperation of municipalities. The roads crossed will be closed to traffic to ensure everyone's safety. The municipalities involved in 2025 are: Chénéville, Duhamel, Lac-Simon, Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, Ripon, Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk, Saint-Sixte, and Montpellier.